Obama meets Dalai Lama behind closed doors

US President Barack Obama hosted the Dalai Lama at the White House — a now familiar ritual that took place off-camera and out of the public eye to avoid irking China. Obama carried out what has become a political rite in Washington, spiriting the exiled Tibetan religious leader into the White House through the back door — and prompting the usual Chinese denunciations. Since coming to office, Obama has now hosted the Dalai Lama four times.